Susana Martinez criticizes Mitt Romney comments, maps way forward

LAS VEGAS — New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez, the GOP’s most prominent Latina, chastised Mitt Romney’s rhetoric Thursday and called on the Republican Party to play ball on immigration reform.

“We have to start electing people who look like their communities all the way from city council to county commissioners to county clerks all the way through the state and up into national politics,” she told POLITICO and Yahoo News at the conclusion of the Republican Governors Association meeting here.

Text Size

-

+

reset

Christie: Romney’s upset

POLITICO LIVE: GOP, Romney fallout

“We need to embrace them not just at election time,” she added. “We visit them, and they don’t appreciate that. And I don’t blame them for not appreciating that. We should not visit them when we need their vote and then walk away. And then four years go by and we go visit them again. We have to make them part of the solution, and the way you do that is by listening to them.”

She expressed disdain for Romney’s claim this week on a conference call that Obama won reelection because he offered “gifts” to minorities and younger voters.

“That unfortunately is what sets us back as a party — our comments that are not thought through carefully,” she said.

Martinez, born in El Paso and of Mexican descent, has generated buzz as a rising star despite keeping an intentionally low national profile. She has maintained sky-high favorability ratings in a blue state that President Barack Obama carried by 10 points last week. She also calls immigration “a problem that can be tackled.”

She’s been publicly critical of Romney before. In a May interview, she criticized his embrace of “self-deportation.” In September, she criticized the failed GOP nominee’s caught-on-camera assertion that 47 percent of voters are dependent on government, and returned to the topic here — but using harsher terms.

“It’s a ridiculous statement to make,” she said. “You want to earn the vote of every single person you can … It doesn’t matter whether individuals are in need of assistance of the government or individuals who are in college, it doesn’t matter. Why would you ever write off 47 percent?”

In August, Martinez introduced Paul Ryan at the Republican National Convention in Tampa. She did a little bit of surrogate work for the campaign in Nevada and appeared alongside Romney at an October rally outside Denver.

As she did during her last appearance on the campaign trail with Romney, Martinez faulted Obama for not following through on his promise to pass comprehensive immigration reform in his first term.

“I offered early on — I think I was governor about a month when I met President Obama—and said, ‘I would like to visit with you in reference to border security, in reference to immigration. I’d like to be part of the discussion because I lived on the border all my life,’” she recounted just outside the casino at a resort owned by Steve Wynn. “I’ve never received a call.”

Asked why Obama increased his level of support among Hispanics nationwide from 2008, she pointed to the primary.

“You’ve got to get out of the primary as a Republican and then you’re now having to run against a Democrat and what you’ve said before and how that ties in,” she said.

Martinez believes that any solution needs to deal with those who have entered the country illegally but she noted that party leaders must carefully message it.

The real moochers are profitable oil, gas and coal companies that receive $11 billion annually in tax breaks and subsidies.

The real moochers are Wall Street and the big banks that received a $700 billion bailout; and large financial institutions, multinational corporations, and some of the wealthiest individuals that received $16 trillion in near-zero interest Fed loans.

The real moochers are Big Pharma, Big Agra and other industries that receive billions in subsidies.

The real moochers are Romney and other private equity managers that benefit from the carried interest loophole.

Mitt Romney can only blame himself for losing. He would have had a better chance of winning if he had shown that he is a caring compassionate person from the beginning of the campaign and pretend he was toward the end.

Romney and company have been living in a Leave It To Beaver bubble that was burst by the pin of reality.

Understandably, politicians like Susana Martinez can't really prove Romney wrong. Their advice, however, is just not to mention it, so that it doesn't inflame those people who vote for Democrat stuff from the government..

She never challenged the point he made. If anything, his estimate of the number of government-addicted is a bit low.

Photo Caption: ' It's Her Decision...................... don't you get it ? That's the Point in all of this, she made a decision and 'her handlers' didn't like it. And they started an investigation on an Innocent Man then an Innocent Family then an Innocent Man who was a Marine on hes Second Tour in Afghanistan. Because of that, the Marine was Murdered on his last Mission the Night before he was to return to the USA at the end of his tour. Now were left with a Cover Up from a bunch of Men in Both Political Parties who 'used this Woman and many others throughout their career. Don't blame us, don't blame them and get ready for some big names in this administration and previous administrations to become public in their involvement. And that's the Involvement of the Innocent Murder in Action of Jacob Tate on January 2nd, 2011. ….................. No Further Questions …............................................ TRUTH

Sosha Liz Um, it's like-minded people as you who will continue to provide Democrats with wins in the future. No one on any type of public assistance is "government addicted". The elderly and disabled war veterans on Social Security, Medicare, etc., are people who are on these programs due to circumstances beyond their control. The unemployed and underemployed are not "government-addicted" either. The vast majority want good jobs that pay a decent salary so they can provide food and shelter to their family. During this time of reflection for Thanksgiving, ask yourself what happened to your compassion? Go to your homeless shelter, to your community center, to your Vets Memorial Hall and volunteer to feed those less fortunate than you. Meet those people whom you are so ready to condemn, see their faces and listen to their stories before you throw your next rock at them.

Susana. It's not just the Hispanic public that the Republican party of the RACISTS in America, comes to visit only during elections. It's YOU too!!

Now if you are having a hard time figuring out how they really feel the rest of the years. Here is your clue.

GOP debates. A BUNCH of debates.

Question: What was the ONLY time the GOP crowds were brought to their feet SCREAMING in agreement? Of all the statement in all those debates. What one made the crowd orgasim???

When they said ELECTRIFY THE FENCE there was a deadening silence as the air went out of the room.... then Cain said HIGH VOLTAGE!!!!! And the crowd erupted in orgamic screams of pleasure and to their core agreement!

She's just anothed racist "ethnicity over country" hispanic politician. At least Martinez did us all a favor and came out in favor of amnesty this year before we made the mistake of throwing our support behind her.

“Republicans need to stop making assumptions,” she added, “and they need to start talking to younger people, people of color, and ask them – not talk to them – ask them, ‘What is it that we can do better? How do we earn your vote? How do we earn the ability for you to see that we can be the party that will make your life better and that of your children?’ But we can’t be the ones that come and tell them how things are going to be and how we have all the solutions.”

Good advice all around. You should consider it seriously, Skittles.

As a staunch conservative, Governor Martinez appeals to me on all levels. As an American who knows Barack Obama's status quo will hurt me and my family, I understand her attitude on such issues that I know compromise is necessary, especially immigration. The line in the sand is a secure border, and that is where things may fall apart, but if the GOP allows for "amnesty," as we call it, I am confident we could pivot on the issue and maintain the strength of good conservatives like Ms. Martinez in calling out the hypocrisy of the Obama and the Democrats when comprhensive immigration reform fails because of the lack of PROGRESSIVE support because there is a secure border.

The Democrats need wedge issues to win, so look for them to make real reform difficult so it fails and they can try to blame and demonize the GOP.....THAT is the way conservatives should look at immigration, this fiscal cliff and some of the social issues that are thrown into the mix to distract consituencies with demagoguery and fear....If we can get progress on those issues and our fellow Americans know we were sincere and helpful, especially on immigration, we will win.....This is the art of politics.

Remember, EVERYTHING is economics....This is a reality in the world and so if we appeal to the pocketbook of our fellow Americans, where they are agreeing with us and not the progressives, look for those cynical demographic predictions melt away......Just look at 2010 as the example of how the left's over-confidence is so stupid......If people are suffering economically and put the blame where it should be, we will get their vote.

Conservatives can hold on to their principles and take away Obama's cynical tools of the same old elitist DC politics....It will be hard, some will resist and there will be mistakes, but it can happen. The left is ALWAYS arrogant and it is another weakness conservatives should always be prepared to take advantage of as well.......Be smart, fellow conservatives......Study and be open to Ms. Martinez' and Mr. Jindal's advice and remain hopeful that their world view (and our's) is superior and hopeful compared to the left's beliefs about people. You know that is true despite any temporary set backs.

Skittles.....Two questions.....1) What is your ideology?........2) Do you agree or disagree with Mr. Jindal's assessment and why or why not?........

1. Stop looking backward. We have to boldly show what the future can look like with the free market policies that we believe in. Conservative ideals are aspirational, and our country is aspirational.

2. Compete for every single vote. The 47% and the 53%. And any other combination of numbers that adds up to 100 percent. President Barack Obama and the Democrats can continue trying to divide America into groups of warring communities with competing interests, but we will have none of it. We are going after every vote as we try to unite all Americans…

6. Quit “big.” We are not the party of big business, big banks, big Wall Street bailouts, big corporate loopholes, or big anything. We must not be the party that simply protects the well off so they can keep their toys. We have to be the party that shows all Americans how they can thrive. We are the party whose ideas will help the middle class, and help more folks join the middle class. We are a populist party and need to make that clear.

Some more questions for you and any disgruntled libertarians or conservatives.........

I agree with Governor Jindal 100%.....I know many people believed the lies from the left about what I believe as a conservative and what most conservatives believe about America, Americans and how we can all live and prosper together.

The left lied about libertarians as well.......Are you ok with that?

Are you ok with the Democrats getting away with labeling people like Jindal and Martinez, great conservative leaders, as racists, greedy and hateful people who want dirty water and dirty air for the children?......Are you ok with millions of your fellow Americans believing that falsehood AND the left getting away with it?.....

Are you satisfied with the president of the United States, barack Obama, using the horrible and hateful term, "tea bagger," when referring to some of his fellow Americans?

I am not and will not lay down and allow the liars and haters to win.

The left won on lies.....they won on the small things including "the 47%." Mitt Romney ALLOWED them to win on that small issue of hate and deception.....Are you ok with that?

I am not asking you to give up your principles.....I am asking you to not allow the liars and fear mongers to win.....Got it?

The reason for this is quite simple. The future viability of the party includes the inclusion of minorities such as the latinos. Unfortunately, the party is also the natural home for racist Americans and xenophobes. So what to do? As minorities rush into the GOP 'big tent', these racist will have no choice but to either tolerate it or leave the party. My bet is that they will flee.

Poor Mitt. Had he squeezed out a victory, his current Republican critics would be spouting their rage at the "takers" and "moochers" and bragging on the "makers" and going after our social safety net with a chainsaw while filling dump trucks with more tax dollars to be dumped at the feet of the richest. But Mitt lost, so now surviving Republicans are attacking Romney with all the yapping gusto of hyenas attacking fallen prey. Jindal and Martinez and others are saying smarter things, or at least less alienating things. Let's see if their legislative proposals show they really do care about us all or if all their sweet talk is only yet another way for Republicans to con voters out of their votes.